If you’ve bundled up for cold weather in the past have probably heard the following: You lose 85% of your body heat through your head.
Are you kidding me? If that was true, I could throw on a ski-mask and run around the frosty winter wonderland all day in my birthday suit.
After a bit of research, I traced this myth back to a military study on uniformed soldiers in cold weather. Yes, 85% of their heat loss was through the head but that was because the rest of their bodies were well protected. If you were covered head to ankle, the majority of your heat would be lost from the feet. At least the head has thick hair to keep it warm.
If you are going to be spending extended amounts of time in cold climates, here is a simplified list of recommendations for dressing the part:
- avoid wearing cotton, linen, or any absorbent material against your skin
- have a second layer for warmth (wool or fleece)
- bulky outer layers
- protect extremities (nose, fingers, ears, etc.)
- warm, dry socks
- waterproof shoes
The detailed list is available at eHow.
